Danny de Haseth's page

Plus one on keeping a character diary!

In a different game setting, our GM gave us the option to earn extra XP by keeping a diary. Even though we all did it for the XP, it is a great way to flesh out your PC and keep your mind focussed on your character on days other than "gaming days". It is also a great way to go over the gaming session and reflect on how things affected your character, instead of only living in the moment on game day.

Do you keep a neat, concise diary, with just the basics? Do you ponder philosphical questions? Do you plot your revenge? Do you scribble notes all over the place and make messy stains? The way you keep and write the diary in itself says a lot about your character.

Thank you all for the advice!

Some sad news: the friend who made the suggestion in the first place, suddenly passed away last sunday at the age of 34. We are all still in shock, but one player of our group, who was going to play a rogue, has decided he will play the Halfling, in our friend's memory. Thank you Heretek, for making the suggestion to have a PC play the Halfling.

Kind regards,
Danny

Here are some random tips that worked with me, see if there is anything you like:

* On of the most memorable Paladins a friend of mine played, as grumpy and in a constant bad mood. Sure, he was lawful good, sure he helped the community when in need, but that didn't stop him from deriding our rogue for doing stupid shit, having one-night stands with the local tavern whench, interrupting PCs when they were talking, or complaining about the tasteless food. Being Lawful Good doesn't mean you are a bland, goody-person who helps everyone and likes it. You can have character, likes and dislikes, "bad" personality traits, etc.

* Pick an easy to remember gimmick and use it as an anchor, a go-to. One of my characters always chewed on an unlit cigar. Whenever I was in doubt on what to do: I simply stated he chewed on his cigar, or moved it from corner of his mouth to another. Stating such an IG action out loud, helped me to "pull me back" into character. It reminded me what kind of character I was wanting to play. The cigar-cheweing statements were soon followed by other, more in-depth IG roleplay statements and actions. It also gives you a bit of time to think, when you feel pressured to make something up on the fly.

* Steal. Shamelessly steal from movies, books, even actual persons. You could base your character off of the other players in the group, or even the DM! :) I had one character based off Tom Waits, when I was heavily listening to his music. Easy to remember.

* You don't have to be IC all the time. If you are at loss of words, instead of giving an inspiring speech, you can simply say you are giving an inspiring speech, and then ask the DM what roll to make. I find this perfectly acceptable, especially when you are roleplaying as something you are not. (Roleplaying a chatterbox when you are an introvert, for example). Oh, and play out your failed rolls as well. Say you roll a natural one for that "inspiring speech"? Think of ways to play that out. Maybe you told the townsmen to quit being pussies because their firstborn were kidnapped? And own up to your failures, make them part of your character.

* Don't try too much. If you write a 10-page background story, list several quirkcs and drawbacks, base it off two movie characters, etc. You might end up forgetting. Or maybe you were tired and didn't feel like RPing much that evening. Nobody gets goot at roleplaying overnight and taking small steps is the way forward, in my opinion.

* In one group I played with, we installed the rule that ALL talk was IC talk. Unless obviously a rules question, but in the end, the DM was the final judge, so if you disrupted gameplay with needless banter, the DM would have the NPCs react confused to such banter. Maybe harsh, maybe it could work well with your group?

Divine scroll of Animate Dead Lesser costs only 175gp. Might not be available at character creation but probably after your first adventure. Until then you could just carry his body around slung over your shoulder. With a little UMD literally anyone can use it. As for incorporating into the build; flank buddy, weapon sheathe/quiver(he got dr, he'll be fine), pack mule.

For a scaling undead I would probably play a cleric though not necessarily undead lord. As above use the scroll to get your kid as soon as possible. Starting at 5th level I would advance with as a necrocraft adding more and more halfling kids

Thanks for the tip! This certainly removes a lot of the headaches re: feats, fips, scaling, etc. I might consider this!

I don’t think that this really fits in with the idea of an infiltrator inquisitor. The whole idea behind an infiltrator is that they can successfully pretend to be another alignment. The only way I can see this working is by completely changing your class. As Young Nasty Man suggested the undead lord would probably work best.

I think it works perfectly with the Infiltrator inquisitor. That is what I'd use his ungodly amounts of diplomacy and bluff for: the child was his only friend when they were both slaves of their former, cruel master. But the day before they would make their escape, their master did things to Ichabod and... he was never the same again. He'd hoped the Glorious Reclamation would serve justice to all the former slave masters, that is why he'd come to join them.

I am also not sure how this fits into roleplaying a character with a low CHA with good social skills. I see this type of character as the person who has no real interest in people and who is normally very antisocial. But when they want something form someone know exactly how to manipulate them to get what they want. They are not naturally charming and likeable, rather they are normally rude boorish and completely uninterested in other people’s feelings. It takes conscious effort for them to manipulate people, but they are extremely good at it.

You don't see it, but then you do see it? Walking around with a smelly, undead, tattooed slave-like creature is quite antisocial and one who does that would seem to have no real interest in people. (your words) It would be just him and his slave, the rest of the world can stuff it. Unless he wants something from the rest of the world: then the manipulation game starts.

Since your ability with social skills is also part of your inquisitor class abilities they also divinely inspired. When you speak you channel your deity into your words and become the voice of God. It does not matter that you are a sniveling little bastard who people normally ignore and avoid. When you speak people listen and believe. This only goes to prove that you really are special and increases your arrogance (another reason for the low CHA).

Good one! I've seen many explanations for low CHA, high socials, but not this one before. Thanks!

The simplest way would be to have another player play said halfling as their character. Otherwise we're delving into needing things like leadership, which your level 1 character obviously can't have so that's a no. Really, any feat based option is impossible at level 1.

Also of course the real question isn't whether you "want" this, it's if your DM is fine with it.

That said, the Corpse Companion of the Undead Lord Cleric may well be your best possible option since they do gain the abiltiy at level 1. So Ideally you'd dip Undead Lord, then go Inquisitor for the rest.

I haven't thought about that... I'll throw it into the group and see if anyone bites.

If I start with two feats, I can take Eldritch hertiage: arcane and start with a wizard's arcane bond. It is possible, just not with an Aasimar unfortunately.

Don't worry about the DM: that is my job. :)

Do the undead lord, unless you are PFS, you get a corpse companion and you can just make it a halfling zombie

Ooh, thanks for pointing this archetype out. I'll look into it.

Some sort of modified flesh golem? Maybe attaching the young template thrice. (Since Halfling children are tiny)

I was thinking of simply using the monkey familiar stats, but RPing it as some sort of flesh golem.

Hello everyone,

So there I was, setting up a character for the Hell's Vengeance adventure path, tinkering on an Infiltrator Inquisitor with the conversion domain. You know: to get an ungodly amount of diplomacy and bluff, while using Charisma as a dump stat. As I was trying to figure out how to roleplay someone with a low charisma, but very high diplomacy, I asked a friend for advice and one of the suggestions he came up, was that the character would have a pet deaf-mute undead halfling child slave, heavily tattooed, follow him around everywhere. With plenty of scars and stiches, so that it was apparent that more than one halfling child died “making” the poor creature.

After blinking in shocked silence for a minute, I started laughing nervously in disbelieve for a while. But then it stuck... and I can't get it out of my head, because of the sheer disturbing, evil brilliance of the idea.

Now, I'm asking you guys for advice how best to build this into my character mechanics. What kind of feats/dips/spells/familiar archetypes/whatever would translate this concept into a fun and effective addition to my character?

What I'm looking for:
Suggestions, advice, constructive criticism and creatively thinking with me to make this work, further suggestions how to synchronize it with an archery or two-handed build.

What I'm not looking for:
Telling me it is not worth it, telling me I shouldn't do it, cramping my style.

What I want to work with:
My original idea was to play as an Aasimar Inquisitor, either archer or two-handed build, I had yet to decide. Now I would love to incorporate this disturbing concept into the character, but if you really have a great idea, I'd be willing to change my class or possibly race to consider it. (for example, I looked into some alchemist archetypes, but I really don't "get" the alchemist class)